She's Got Dibs

by AJ Nuest

  Moonlight streamed through the windows while she lay awake, the white beams casting long dark shadows that crept silently around the room.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tessa rolled over and pitched her hand onto Dibs’s vacant pillow. Still warm…he’d probably risen only a few moments ago.

  It was anyone’s guess how long she’d tossed and turned, fighting an unsuccessful battle to silence his words from her mind. At some point, she’d finally surrendered to sleep, but a burdensome lethargy remained embedded in her bones.

  The sun shone high and bright through the window, an occasional bird shadow darting past the open curtains. She shifted onto her side and settled her hands under her cheek, that same, consistent stream of worry burbling in her mind.

  Would Dibs even remember? Or had the words only come because he’d been nearly delirious from lack of sleep? What would it mean if he truly did love her?

  Anxiety flitted through her chest, an exact replica of the birds outside the pane.

  On so many levels, he’d become everything to her. No part of her regretted following Tiffany’s advice, telling him she wanted more. She’d just never expected so much more. She’d never guessed Dibs would fall in love with her so quickly, nor been prepared for the irrefutable yearning to love him back.

  But still the worry remained, her constant companion. Would this relationship end in heartbreak and ruin like the one she shared with Michael? Only two nights before Michael had materialized out of thin air; being near him had been a gruesome ordeal. Even after loving him so deeply, the mere thought of him now set her teeth on edge.

  But her repugnance didn’t change their history.

  At one time, the two of them had been crazy for each other, living as if destined to spend the rest of their lives in one another’s arms. A future without him in her life simply wasn’t conceivable. But that relationship had been a lie, destiny’s cruel trick. Marrying Michael would have been a mistake, exactly like all the others from her past. His love wasn’t strong enough, their relationship suffered, and in the end his promises were proven false.

  Little dust motes danced inside a patch of sunlight, warm and comforting through the blankets. A harsh sigh spilled from her lips.

  Dibs believed they belonged together. The devotion in his eyes, his every word filled with the strength of his convictions—he had no doubts. And she had to admit, in the deep recesses of her heart, a timid love glowed for him, too. But dire foreboding threatened that tiny flame, issuing a warning.

  True love was a farce. It didn’t exist.

  And even though the thought of losing him broke her heart, no matter how hard she tried, the truth was inevitable. Something would eventually take him away from her. Their time together wouldn’t last. It never did.

  The door opened and Dibs entered, a silver tray laden with assorted dishes in his hands, the morning newspaper tucked under one arm. A pair of dark blue sleeping pants hung tied at his waist, and a pastry protruded from his mouth. He lifted his eyebrows, lowering his burdens to the nightstand, bit into the pastry, and placed it on the edge of a plate.

  He jumped and the bed bounced when he landed on his back beside her, long legs extended. “Good morning.” Sugary frosting flavored his lips sweet.

  “Good morning.” Head safely nestled on his shoulder, she snuggled inside the comfort of his arms.

  “I missed you while I slept.”

  She laughed quietly. “Do you remember looking for me?”

  One of his hands settled behind his head, little creases high on his cheeks when he squinted. “I remember having a really bad dream. I was in Africa and you were with me. We got separated somehow. I kept searching for you, but you had already left.”

  “Where did I go?” She crossed her arms over his chest, chin propped on her wrists so she could study the pensive shifting of his eyes.

  “I don’t know. I kept asking everyone, but they wouldn’t tell me. I remember being desperate, you know? God, that’s so frustrating.”

  A bleak sadness shrouded her heart. “I’m sorry, Dibs.”

  His lips turned down at the corners. “What are you sorry for? It was my dream.”

  “But I feel like you wouldn’t have had it if I’d never left…you know, that first time.”

  He shook his head. “You’ve more than made up for it. Besides, you already apologized for that, remember?”

  “It’s just…you were so upset last night. You came into the sunroom looking for me, and you were so, I don’t know, distraught, I guess.”

  “Well, I would be distraught if you left. But I’m not now. In fact, I’m extremely happy. We’re spending the week together…you’re here with me in my bed…”

  A reluctant smile emerged and she turned her cheek to his chest. “Okay, but I’m still sorry.”

  “Well, then, I guess we’d better figure out a way for you to make it up to me.”

  She snapped her chin up, and he waggled his brows. “Uh oh, I’m in trouble now, aren’t I?”

  “A lot of trouble. Tons of trouble.”

  A squeal burst from her throat when he gathered her in his arms and rolled them over, his hips nestled in the vee of her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, nipped, and then licked his bottom lip. “Care to make good on that threat, Mr. Brenner?”

  “Promise,” he whispered, thick lashes at half-mast, lids heavy with desire. “That was a promise, Ms. Adams.”

  His shoulders tensed and she gasped when he easily shifted her a bit lower, bringing their bodies even. The tip of his tongue moistened her upper lip. His palm warmed the back of her thigh, and everything but Dibs faded to a misty, sunlit cloud.

  Each stroke he gifted her brought her nearer the edge—his lips suckling her breasts, tongue swirling and tasting. The skim of his fingertips down the planes of her belly. Excitement flushed her skin, lifted the hair on her arms. A sweet pressure built low in her stomach. The thought of him thrusting inside her moistened the heat between her thighs.

  He tugged her knee aside and dotted kisses down her stomach, propelling her toward bliss. His tongue flitted along her silky folds and she writhed when her inner muscles spasmed, fisted the sheets as the sharp edge of ecstasy quivered just out of reach. He increased his efforts, licking and prodding only to pull back, prolonging the anticipation until wanton need consumed her.

  Her hips bucked and she rolled her head to the side, body bowed. Clenching her teeth, she squirmed and hissed as his heated breath blew a maddening path along the valley between her legs. She seized his shoulders when the ball of his thumb patted her sensitive bud, coaxing her higher. The tip of his finger circled her entrance before slipping inside. One twitch of his hand and she was flung over the edge into rapture, falling apart in his hands as wave after wave of release convulsed through her body.

  Her heartbeat evened and slowed. The room slowly came back into focus. “Holy shit,” she breathed.

  His chuckle reverberated along her skin as he slithered up from between her legs. A heady pulse ricocheted deep within as he eased them together, hot and rigid, sating her to the brim. He braced himself on his arms, trembling above her, but didn’t move.

  She blinked at the desire-laced question in his eyes. He was waiting for her.

  She brought him down to her lips, began their movement slowly, welcoming him in. The strength in his arms, his passionate kisses made her forget everyone she had ever known. Nothing but his next caress, his next kiss existed, the rhythm he set her only connection to the world. His skin was warm, his lips tender, the tension in his muscles steady and hard under her hands.

  A dizzying swell gathered, extended into the arches of her feet. He increased his pace. Arousal darkened his eyes. Her interior muscles clamped around him and he sharply inhaled, driving harder. A shudder wrenched his body, and she grabbed his shoulders and rode with him into oblivion, the force of her orgasm flooding her mind with bright light. And then she was floating, lingering in the thrill of his fulfillment,
his lips as they held her kiss, his arms clasping her to his chest.

  Long moments later, Dibs pecked her lips. “And here you doubted my promises.”

  She laughed, hugging him tight.

  His contented murmur tickled her neck before he rolled to the bed. “Are you hungry?”

  She smiled into his eyes. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starved.” He sat up and hefted the tray off the nightstand.

  Holding the sheet to her chest, she pushed up to sit against the headboard of the bed. Dibs scooted to the other side of the tray, a blanket tucked around his waist, and filled their cups from a pot of steaming coffee.

  “Yummy.” She selected a raspberry danish, and then checked both nightstands, all four walls…but came up empty. “What time is it, anyway?”

  “Around nine, why?”

  “What time is our flight? I don’t even know what airline we’re booked on.”

  Lips pursed, he blew into his coffee before tipping the rim to his lips. “What time did you want to leave?”

  Ha, ha. Like they could set their own schedule. “Very funny.” She paused, cup in hand, a swirl of steam momentarily obscuring his face. “You are kidding, right?”

  “Well, seeing as how I’m the pilot, I guess we can go whenever we’re ready.”

  Her coffee sloshed dangerously near the lip when she jerked forward. “You’re the pilot.”

  “I flew the plane to Botswana.”

  Astonishment blurted through her lips. “You flew the plane to Botswana.”

  “Yes.”

  “He flew the plane to Botswana.” She slapped a hand to her forehead. “Well, of course he did. That makes perfect sense. Why am I the least bit surprised?”

  He frowned. “You okay?”

  Of all the hair-brained, half-baked…dangerous…and he was completely missing the point! She jostled her cup and pastry back to the tray. “Oh, I’m fine. I’ve got no problem with you piloting some rubber band two-seater halfway across the world. In fact, maybe you should’ve taken a quick stab at skydiving while you were at it.”

  “Actually…” He grimaced.

  “What?”

  “A couple of the guys thought it might be fun to escort in the supplies. The kids get a real kick out of it.” His wide eyes failed at innocence all while the wheels spun wildly in her head.

  “Fun? They thought it might be fun?”

  He chuckled into his coffee, ruffling the surface, and she narrowed her eyes, gnashing her teeth. “I fail to see what’s so amusing.”

  He sputtered and lifted his chin, laughing toward the ceiling. “I’m sorry, just that look on your face.”

  “Fine.” She snatched his bathrobe off the floor and crawled from between the sheets. “So, here’s an idea,” she grumbled, dramatically flipping the sides closed and cinching the belt at her waist. “Let’s jump out of a plane, work until exhaustion sets in, and then buckle up behind the controls.”

  “Where are you taking my bathrobe?”

  “To the shower.”

  “I never said you could wear my bathrobe.” He fell to the mattress, snagging the hem as she stormed past, and tugged her back to the bed. One lean, muscular thigh braced either side of her hips. His chin swept her hair over her shoulder, exposing her ear to his lips. “I don’t have to fly us if it makes you uncomfortable.”

  She whipped her head around, the sincerity in his gaze a perfect match to his words, and slumped inside the circle of his arms. He had flown an entire team to Africa, volunteered his time and who knew how much money to help the people who lived there. But his generosity wasn’t in question.

  One day losing his love, maybe. But to forge ahead without him in the world at all? No, no. Completely unacceptable. “I’m just scared, Dibs. I mean, my God, what if something happened to you? What if you’d never made it—”

  “Hey, hey, hey.” He cupped the side of her cheek, brought their foreheads together. Affection warmed his eyes, their usual piercing edge soft with tenderness and care. “I’m right here. And I would never let anything bad happen. I promise to get us there and back in one piece, okay?”

  The enthusiasm with which he fulfilled his earlier promise sprang to mind and she shook her head, grudgingly relenting. “Fine. But no more sneaking around, jumping out of aircraft behind my back.”

  “Deal.” He pecked her ear before releasing her.

  Fully shampooed and shaven, she entered the bedroom amid a waft of steam to find her suitcase and carry-on opened and centered on the bed. She smiled and sorted through her clothes, opting for jeans, a sheer, long-sleeved shirt and matching camisole, and her brown, zip-up vest with the fur-trimmed hood.

  Dibs entered a few minutes later and crossed to the bathroom, his cell phone pressed to his ear. “Hey, it’s me.” His voice echoed against the tile. “Yes, it was fine.” He paused. “Just yesterday. Listen, I’m taking the Challenger out to Bernhamwood for a few days.” Another pause. “I know. I’ll call first.”

  He notched a shoulder against the bathroom doorway and rolled his eyes. “I know, I know, you need to stop with this.” He twirled his hand. “Aha…yep…all right, I’ll talk to you later…me too. Bye.” He lowered the phone and dialed a second time. “Mother,” he said, returning the phone to his ear.

  “Hey, Gerald, it’s Dibs. I’m coming out for a few days and thought I’d give you a heads-up.” He pushed up from the door jamb and disappeared. “There will be two of us. And can you have the truck at the strip before noon? Okay, thanks.” A beep from his phone, and he peeked around the threshold. “Am I keeping the shadow or not keeping the shadow?”

  She flicked a wicked eyebrow. “Trim the shadow, but keep the shadow.”

  He grinned and disappeared. The buzz of an electric razor started while she searched her carry-on for her cosmetic case and hairdryer. A few moments later, she trailed him into the bathroom and rested against the long counter while he ran a shaver over his face. “So, what’s the temperature in Vail this time of year?”

  “About the same as here, but it might be a little colder at the house.”

  “Higher elevation?” she asked.

  “Yep.”

  “This place on the side of a mountain?”

  “Yep.”

  “And it’s got its own name?”

  “Yep.” He clicked off the razor and rinsed it under the tap.

  “Will I be thoroughly impressed?”

  “One can only hope, Rex.” He stole a kiss, strolled to the shower room, and reached behind the slate-tiled wall. Droplets rained and a bank of steam rose toward the ceiling. He grabbed the tie to his pajama pants, but then hesitated, peering at her from under his brows. A jerk of the tie, his pants collapsed to his ankles. A waggle of his brows and he stepped through the door.

  Water splashed and a heavy douse hit the floor. She glanced at the shower, shook her head, and flicked on her hairdryer. Her eyes slowly retraced the path to the shower.

  She leaned away from the counter, arching her back, hung onto the edge, and leaned farther still when Dibs inched into view in the doorway.

  Sweet Lord! She lowered the forgotten hairdryer.

  He swayed back and forth, arms lifted, biceps bulging, scrubbing the shampoo from his hair. Water sluiced over the sculpted ridges of his chest, suds clinging to his broad shoulders, trickling down his ribbed sides, over his tight stomach, through the downy hair, running in rivulets down his legs to the floor.

  He faced the water and her eyebrows skyrocketed. The sweep of his back, the defined muscles on his sides and hips, the curve of his backside, the fixed tension in his thighs…

  “Mmm, mmm, mmm. Yummy,” she whispered.

  She glanced at the blow dryer, switched the setting to cool, and finished her hair.

  ****

  Dibs steered the black Hummer through a huge iron gate and onto a winding gravel lane. Tessa fell back heavily in the seat. First that flying hotel he called an airplane and now this?

  Budding magnolia tr
ees saluted them at perfect intervals, bordering each side of the road, long branches twined overhead in a canopy of pink, white, and magenta. Lush green hills rolled in every direction, marred by slabs of black earth, huge boulders thrusting skyward. She peered over her shoulder through the rear windshield. They had just passed through a gate, right? Where had it gone?

  She slowly faced forward. An English Tudor manor rose in the distance, high gables and jutting turrets, a magnificent domed rotunda connected to the main building through a second story glass-encased walkway. White and green flags adorned each peak, fluttering jauntily in the breeze. An Italian pedestal fountain guarded the main entrance, three maidens dancing atop their prancing ponies.

  “I thought you said this place was a chalet.”

  He shrugged. “What would you call it?”

  “Ah, that’s a castle.”

  He eased them to a stop, put the truck in park, and popped open his door. “Okay, we’re here.”

  “Should I get a map of this place before I exit the vehicle?”

  “Dammit, you uncovered my evil plan.” A clever glint sparkled in his eyes. “If you don’t stay next to me, you just might get lost.”

  “You’re hilarious.”

  Entering through the front door, Dibs captured her hand and pulled her into a spacious seating area arranged before a natural stone fireplace. The deep cavity loomed over Tessa’s head, the protective screen cast to depict several deer leaping down the side of a steep hill. Maroon leather couches and chairs sat strategically placed atop an Asian rug, the large windows three stories overhead allowing just enough natural light to make the room seem airy, despite its dark wood interior.

  “This is the welcoming room.” He gathered her to his chest, met her lips for a lingering kiss. “Welcome to Bernhamwood.”

  “Why, thank you. It’s lovely to be here.”

  Slipping his hand back into hers, he walked them toward the front door and to the right. The entire south wall of the wide passageway was comprised of sheeted glass, a spectacular view of Vail winking in the valley below. The stunning panorama of the mountains stole her breath, jagged peaks covered in the pristine white of virgin snow, reflecting the rays of the setting sun in an aura of brilliant gold.